Some Victorian school students will be back at school in two weeks.
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Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement on Tuesday morning, where he he outlined a staggered plan for students to return to face-to-face learning.
On Tuesday, May 26 classes will resume for prep, grades 1 and 2 and years 11 and 12. All special schools will also return on this date.
May 25 will be a pupil free day.
On Tuesday, June 9 the remainder of students (grade 3 to year 10) will return to school.
Victoria was the only state or territory that is yet to set a date on a return to classes but the premier defended his cautious approach.
"School will look different than what it would normally look like," Mr Andrews said.
"Drop-offs - there will be a whole range of protocols so, we don't have adults mingling, we don't have parents mingling.
"There will be staggered drop-offs, there will be staggered breaks for play for lunch. There will be a massive boost to the cleaning of our schools."
"I know the last four weeks have been very, very challenging," Mr Andrews told reporters.
"With three students in my own household, all learning from home, including our eldest, who's doing Year 12, I know and understand this has not been easy."
There will be some restrictions in place though.
Parents and carers will be prevented from mingling during drop-off and pick-up.
Recess and lunch breaks will be staggered and teachers and staff will be socially distanced.
Children will have to drink only out of their own water bottles, not from fountains.
All Victorian school staff will be prioritised for voluntary coronavirus testing for a two-week period from both mobile and fixed testing sites, starting today.
This will enable school staff to seek testing during the preparation period before the return to on-site schooling.
There are currently 1509 COVID-19 cases in Victoria - an increase of 17 from Monday.
Mr Andrews said schools had remained open with about three per cent of students attending.
"Schools are of course open," he said. "If they weren't safe, they wouldn't be open.
"But we are confident we can now move to bring kids to face-to-face learning but in a staggered way.
"Parents also made it clear they want notice. This give parents two weeks notice between each stage."
Schools have only been open to vulnerable students and those of essential workers during term two as part of the government's measures to stem the coronavirus spread.
Earlier on Monday, Mr Andrews outlined the state's "safe, cautious and appropriate" easing of COVID-19 restrictions, from 11.59pm Tuesday until May 31.
They include allowing Victorians to host up to five visitors in their homes and meet outdoors in groups of 10.
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